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Thursday, October 4, 2012

The Best Thing? As in ONE Best Thing??

I'm having a hard time coming up with the single Best Thing about being an unschooling family. For the longest time, The Best Thing was when I was reading to all 3 kids in my bed. Being able to touch all three at one time, was simply The Best Thing. But over time, new Best Things cropped up. Old Best Things improved. And sometimes, even when I thought there'd be no way to top something - something came around the corner and DID top it.

So I think I'll start with a list, and then if I want to expand on them, I'll have some future topics! ha!

Our "Best Things" List

... in no particular order

Reading in bed with all 3 kids (have to start with that one)

The explosion of voices when the kids come through the door all wanting to tell me what a fabulous experience they just came from

Watching the courage on my child's face as they tackle auditions, travel, walking into a room of strangers

Listening to their unwavering loyalty as they defend their sibling from some injustice

Late night conversations when it's so clear how much trust we have

Spending all day with other homeschoolers/unschoolers and then all going out to eat together because we just didn't want the day to end

Being open-minded enough to step out of society's expectations and doing what's best for our children

Connecting the dots on how supporting strengths lead to lifelong passions

Listening to the laughter upstairs as they share stories with their friends

Driving in the car, radio blasting Queen or Jimmy Buffet, and all of us singing along at the top of our lungs

Sitting in the sunroom with guitars, piano and singing along to Joni Mitchell's Big Yellow Taxi (or anything from our Rise Up Singing book!)

While this might be the Short List of all the Pattersons' Best Things, they all came about because of the parenting choices we made and our decision to be Unschoolers. For us, it's all about Relationships. And these relationships can bring so much joy because of the time we spent nurturing and trusting.

As the "kids" move into adulthood, I'm excited by what new heights our Best Things will reach!

Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you got till it's gone...

"Doooo..bopbopbopbop!" The singing in the car, listening to laughter in the next room, hearing happy recounts told all at once, and going out to dinner so as not to end the day quite yet all struck happy chords with me, too! :)